Hungry for Truth, Peace and Justice

Rwanda: President Kagame May Triumph Without Glory

Former Rwandan Prime Minister
August 10, 2010

Brussels, August 10, 2010 – A seventeenth-century French dramatist wrote what remains eternal truth: "To win without risk is to triumph without glory”. (Pierre Corneille in The Cid). Will President Kagame prove otherwise? After putting his political opponents in jail, murdered the Vice-Chairman of the Democratic Green Party André Rwisereka and investigative journalist, Jean-Léonard Rugambage, while Mrs. Ingabire Umuhoza Victoire is under house arrest, Kagame litterally campaigned along with three ghost opposition parties PSD, PL and PPC. General Kagame shamelessly tricked Rwandan voters traumatized by fear into re-electing him for another seven years term. In truth without competition, as must be in a democracy, the dictator has again proclaimed himself President of Rwanda.

I vigorously condemn this disgusting electoral masquerade. I appeal to the International Community and also by extension the British and U.S. Governments that obstinately continue to support a criminal in spite of two international arrest warrants against him, while he should be brought before international justice to answer serious crimes of international terrorism and crimes against humanity.

I join hands with millions of peace loving and true Rwandan democrats to categorically reject the Kagame "developmentalist" propaganda and false praise by some Westerners who actually use him as a puppet ready to sacrifice all peoples of the African Great Lakes Region for the sake of mafia interests.

It is an insult to democracy to acknowledge this sham election and to celebrate the victory of a criminal ruler, thus consecrating impunity. It is also an insult to the intelligence of the Rwandan people whose many sacrifices should not be exchanged against the rule of a "strong man", but should instead serve to cement forever freedom, the only fundamental basis of democracy in this country.

Furthermore, I believe that democracy and development, however much vaunted, will be undermined in the absence of prior attainment of every Rwandan’s dream as summarized below:

1. Final solution of Rwandan refugees:
All means must be implemented to hasten the return of all Rwandan refugees scattered around the world since 1959 until today. Returnees should also recover their property.

2. Ending Identity conflict:

While preserving our historical identity, solution must be found to the recurring ethnic violence which has spread to the whole Great Lakes region, particularly the Democratic Republic of Congo.

3. Democratic rule:

Ending the dictatorial power, ensuring freedom of expression and choice of leaders as the fundamental value. We have to think of a modus operandi for establishing a democratic system based on power sharing between all components of our society.

4. Ending impunity:

This is the Rwandan dream. This dream should never be occulted by development showcase as an artificial way to mask the fundamental issues that concern the people of Rwanda . It is our duty and not the duty of donors of Rwanda to find solutions to these issues in spite of the tenure of office by the dictator Kagame for another seven years term.

Therefore, a number of Rwandans who will be disclosed later have taken the initiative to set up a lobby group for the Rwandan dream. This group will be called: Rwandan Dream Initiative [Initiative du Rêve rwandais]. It will be extended to all countries of the world where Rwandans have chosen home and will operate through a structure that will soon be made public, including regional clubs where all issues mentioned above shall debated, as well as national and international issues. The “Rwandan dream initiative clubs" will be autonomous, but will respond to the hierarchy that will later be communicated to members.

This is a new call to Rwandans and friends of Rwanda dismayed by the state gang of General Kagame in the wake of a scandalous electoral farce through which the dictator will just accelerate his cruelty towards democracy supporters. Time has come for civic solidarity. We must meet this challenge without giving up and make sure that the Rwandan Dream is made a reality not only for our sake but especially for the sake of future generations.

August 10, 2010
Faustin Twagiramungu
Former Rwandan Prime Minister
Telephone: 0032 473 210 512

posted by Mamadou Kouyate @ 11:30 PM